Angela Fu

When I first got the call from and unknown caller, I thought it was a scam. But, I soon realised I was wrong as Mrs Harris's voice reverberated in my ears and offered me the role of Academic Prefect. It was 8.45am, far too early for the summer holidays, and I was  in shock. I had entertained a variety of different prefect positions, but never the Academic Prefect.

In the beginning, being a prefect felt very surreal. I had become accustomed to being one of the younger students of the school, never thinking that I would, one day, become part of the oldest year group and have to take on some responsibility. I went in a little scared that I wouldn't live up to my predecessors, but at the same time, also very excited.

I was in charge of the Peer Tutoring programme. This helped to improve, not only, my communication skills, but also my ability to use Excel, which, up until then, was near non-existent. My patience also took a huge leap.

I am also the Chair of the Academic Committee, a group of student representatives from each year level (Yr 7-13). Having to chair a committee was a little intimidating at first, but I soon realised that the student representatives were more intimidated by me than I was by them. We held a lot of discussions and formed a lot ideas about the school, and I grew genuinely fond of the committee (I can only hope that they reciprocate my sentiments).

I also helped to establish STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Blues at Columba, a very worthwhile initiative that paves the way for further encouragement of young women in STEM.

On top of all this, I have tried to use my position to improve the learning environment at Columba. I sent out research forms and drafted homework schedules, in the hope of finding a solution to large homework clashes between subjects. I designed Kahoots and created an email account specifically for students to communicate about academic improvement. An added bonus was being able to attend staff meetings to further discuss these matters. I got to see my teachers outside of the classroom (presumably their natural habitat) which was a definite highlight of my year.

I have learned and grown in many ways, shapes, and forms throughout this year. I am still the same person I was at the start of the year; just a little older, a little wiser, and just a little bit more mature (some of my teachers may disagree). Being the Academic Prefect has been one of the most surprising, yet most rewarding experiences of my school life. And it has certainly been a memorable one. I can only hope that I have made a positive impact, regardless of how small, on the younger students of the school.